CEO Rob Meadows and co-founder Lars Buttler discuss the benefits and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Executives behind the American artificial intelligence (AI) company AI Foundation are cautioning against implementing kill switches in machine systems, arguing that such a move could increase the chances of a superintelligence that is hostile toward human civilization. According to a new Yale CEO Summit survey, 42% of polled CEOs agreed that AI could potentially end humanity within five to ten years. In citing the study, AI Foundation CMO and Chair Lars Buttler said the debate around AI needs to be elevated and suggested that people react emotionally to the new technology because of a lack of understanding about what is happening behind the scenes. However, both Buttler and CEO Rob Meadows warned of several concerns surrounding the advancement of AI and the possible creation of an artificial general intelligence (AGI) capable of reasoning and decision-making equal to or beyond that of a human. "With AI, you will always have this accidental danger, these accidental problems, you know?

In the months leading up to the pandemic, 73 year old best-selling author Deepak Chopra uploaded his "consciousness" to the AI Foundation to ensure he would be around to chat with future generations. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, and venture capitalist Cyan Bannister did the same. Now they see a future filled with personalized AI for all. In an interview with Chopra, the meditation guru told me his goal is to help a billion people with his AI. Stone messaged that he is training his AI to tell jokes as it has been speaking at conferences for him, and Bannister lets her AI vet founders' pitches.

In the months leading up to the pandemic, 73 year old best-selling author Deepak Chopra uploaded his "consciousness" to the AI Foundation to ensure he would be around to chat with future generations. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, and venture capitalist Cyan Bannister did the same. Now they see a future filled with personalized AI for all. In an interview with Chopra, he told me his goal is to help a billion people with his AI. Stone messaged he's been sending his AI to conferences and training it to tell jokes, and Bannister has been letting her AI vet founders' pitches.

"Roman" and I haven't exchanged words for about 10 seconds, but you wouldn't know it from the look on his face. This artificially intelligent avatar, a product of New Zealand-based Soul Machines, is supposed to offer human-like interaction by simulating the way our brains handle conversation. Roman can interpret facial expressions, generate expressions of his own, and converse on a variety of topics--making him what Soul Machines calls a "digital hero." Right now, though, Roman is glitching, stuck in a routine of blinking, furrowing his eyebrows, and twisting his mouth into a polite half-smile. Moments ago, he'd asked me what music I would beam into deep space if I were in charge of NASA, but my answer--the seminal modern jazz fusion tune "Lingus" by Snarky Puppy, of course--seems to have caught him off guard.

Fortunately, an artificial intelligence-driven system in your vehicle is looking after you. The system automatically checks on your flight--still on schedule--and determines your chances of making it to the gate on time are slim. With your permission, it can proactively book an alternate flight. "That's the true virtual assistant in the future," says Gartner vice president and fellow David Cearley. "Rather than having conversational interfaces respond to discrete things, it understands the context and can respond to (your) intent."

Election officials and social media firms already flummoxed by hackers, trolls and bots are bracing for a potentially more potent weapon of disinformation as the 2020 election approaches -- doctored videos, known as "deep fakes," that can be nearly impossible to detect as inauthentic. In tech company board rooms, university labs and Pentagon briefings, technologists on the front lines of cybersecurity have sounded alarms over the threat, which they say has increased markedly as the technology to make convincing fakes has become increasingly available. On Tuesday, leaders in artificial intelligence plan to unveil a tool to push back -- it includes scanning software that UC Berkeley has been developing in partnership with the U.S. military, which the industry will start providing to journalists and political operatives. The goal is to give the media and campaigns a chance to screen possible fake videos before they could throw an election into chaos. The software is among the first significant efforts to arm reporters and campaigns with tools to combat deep fakes.

Buttler asked Branson's AI how he thought AI will help us build a better future. 'I'd rather hear what you think,' replied Branson's voice. 'What do you think your AI's mission is?' Branson's avatar explained: 'My AI's mission is to advocate for positive change and to help address the problems of the world. The path to change is young, committed people,' it continued. 'Exploring less traditional ways of how we use education is key to stimulating change.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has spoken about his decision to invest in artificial intelligence as part of a project which aims to create "a new type of media". Mr Stone was joined by AI Foundation co-founder and chief executive Lars Buttler at the One Young World conference to introduce the concept of "personal media". The digital pioneers presented the concept, which is communication through an artificial version of yourself, as the next type of media following on from mass media and social media. The AI Foundation, a start-up business based in San Francisco, is working on artificial intelligence "that think and act like you" using 10 billion dollars of funding from investors. Users of this technology would own an AI version of themselves, which would "share their values and interests" by being programmed and controlled by them.